This invention relates to a circuit arrangement for monitoring an output load of a digital-to-analog current converter which supplies an analog output current in dependent on a digital comparison data word, which output current is applied to a first resistor and, if present, the output load arranged in parallel with said first resistor.
In known circuit arrangements of this type the output voltage appearing across the resistor or the resistors is checked only once, generally when the arrangement is switched on, which arrangement can, for example, form a part of a PC. For this purpose, a given data word is applied and the voltage drop across the resistors is compared with a reference voltage. By means of this one-time comparison it is merely possible to detect whether or not the output load is present at that time. Its magnitude cannot be monitored. If the output load is removed during operation of the circuit arrangement, this cannot be detected.